The (Fur) Fighting Irish
There’s no need to wait until March 17—now’s the time to dig out your funny green hat and celebrate.
That’s because Ireland has just become the latest European country to ban fur farms! The ban will take effect in three years and will save thousands of animals from the horrors of fur factory farms.
On fur farms, animals who would roam hundreds of miles in the wild are crammed into wire cages only big enough for the animals to take a few steps in any direction. Hundreds of animals at a time may be kept inside sheds or subjected to stifling heat and numbing cold outdoors. While diseases and injuries are common, most animals on fur farms are denied even basic vet care.
Not surprisingly, the boredom and frustration of captivity drive many animals insane; they spin in circles endlessly, bash themselves against their cage bars, and sometimes gnaw their own tails off.
The ban means that the Emerald Isle will become even greener, too: There will be no more tons of waste produced by fur farms that can pollute waterways and release ammonia into the air.
Ireland’s ban on fur farms is a true pot o’ gold for animals. Meanwhile, U.S. legislators have yet to enact any federal protections for animals on fur farms—tell them it’s time to take a cue from the Irish and put an end to fur-farm cruelty.
Written by Heather Drennan
